The Marine Museum at Fall River is a cultural gem and contains a wealth of Fall River Maritime History especially Steam Ship and Titanic memorabilia. Discover the art, books, models and many treasures the Marine Museum holds. This is a must see
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The Marine Museum at Fall River is a cultural gem and contains a wealth of Fall River Maritime History especially Steam Ship and Titanic memorabilia. Discover the art, books, models and many treasures the Marine Museum holds. This is a must see resource for landlubbers and mariners alike.

Carol Gafford is a public librarian, family historian, amateur archivist and book savior. She is currently the youth services/outreach librarian at the Swansea Public Library and volunteers for several museum and historical societies including the Marine Museum at Fall River, the Swansea Historical Society and the Bristol Historical and Preservation society. She is the editor of Past Times, the Massachusetts Society of Genealogists and is always looking for a new project to take on.

MILTON – Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge has played this waiting game before.

In August of 2004, with his team widely viewed as in a protracted rebuilding process, Ainge traded Chris Mihm, Jumaine Jones and Chucky Atkins to the Los Angeles Lakers in a deal that involved future Hall of Famer Gary Payton.

Payton was not pleased.

The All-Star point guard publicly grumbled about not wanting to come to Boston, and had Ainge and his staff on the edge of uncertainty whether he’d ever show up until the eve of training camp. Ultimately, he did – largely, perhaps, because he needed to in order to get paid – and went on to help the Celtics to an unexpected Atlantic Division title.

Fast forward nine years and Ainge said this morning he is still waiting to hear from Gerald Wallace six days before the start of training camp after the veteran forward was dealt from the title-contending Brooklyn Nets to the presumably rebuilding Celtics.

"I’m anxious to meet Gerald," Ainge admitted before the team’s annual golf tournament to benefit the Shamrock Foundation. "I met him before when I was doing television (more than a decade ago), but I haven’t had much conversation with him. He’s really the only one (of the players on the current roster who hasn't been in contact)."

Ainge seemed reasonably convinced – although he did (perhaps inadvertently) add a qualifier – that Wallace will be in Waltham for Monday’s media day.

"He’ll be in town, I think, next week. I’ll be watching closely and then we’ll sit down."

Wallace was the only one of the five Nets acquired in the Kevin Garnett/Paul Pierce deal – other than Kris Joseph, who was promptly waived – who did not attend the introductory press conference in Waltham in early July. The reason given at the time was that Wallace was at his basketball camp and was expected in Waltham within the next couple of weeks for a physical and potential press conference.

That was two months ago.

Still, Ainge said it’s not that unusual not to meet newly acquired players – especially veterans – during the summer, adding that as a player himself he wanted little contact with his teams in the offseason.

The 31-year-old Wallace averaged just 7.7 points and 4.4 rebounds with the Nets last year after Brooklyn traded for him the previous season.

"Gerald, it’s interesting," Ainge said, "that Gerald got a good contract from Charlotte and was their best player. That led to a big payday for him. He was traded for two first-round picks in Portland and played very well there.

"Then New Jersey wanted him bad enough to pay him a very lucrative contract. It seems everywhere he’s been he’s been well-liked and well-compensated. He’s a good player. It wasn’t a great fit for him in (Brooklyn) last year. We’ll see if we can make it a better fit for us."

Ainge touched on several topics before today’s golf tournament that ranged from Rajon Rondo’s return from torn anterior cruciate ligament surgery, to Jared Sullinger’s pending domestic assault case, to the plantar fasciitis of rookies Vitor Faverani and Kelly Olynyk, to the birth of Avery Bradley III this morning.

On Rondo: "I think he’s in a great frame of mind. I’ve been in constant contact with him and so has (Celtics coach) Brad (Stevens). He seems to be in a really great place emotionally, mentally, and now we’re just trying to get the physical part down. He’s got a ways to go.

"He wants to play. He’s excited for the new team. I think there was a time when all of this was happening that he was sort of wondering ‘Where do I fit in here? What’s our team (going to be like)?’ But I think Rajon is in a very good place right now."

Ainge said he "would be shocked" if Rondo is ready to go for the start of the season, and that the team would not rush him back from major knee surgery.

"We’ve got to do what’s right for him. He’s young. It’s (early) in his career. Maybe if he were 37 and it was his last year, maybe (it’s different). But he’s still so young and he’s our best player."

When asked who would fill in at point guard at the season’s outset if Rondo is shelved, he first said that would be up to Stevens, then said Bradley, Jordan Crawford and undrafted rookie Phil Pressey would be the top candidates for time.

On Sullinger’s assault case that was continued to Oct. 28 on Monday: "The outcome is looking good. We can’t talk about anything like that. We’re still waiting on the conclusion. Jared will be at our training camp. He’s at our facility working every day."

Stevens previously said he was "extremely disappointed" to learn of the charges against Sullinger, but Ainge struck a much more understanding and positive tone this morning.

"I think that Jared is a good kid," Ainge said. "He’s a good Celtic. He’s a guy that we have big hopes for. We don’t think he’s done anything so wrong that he shouldn’t be part of our team today.

"I don’t think it will be a distraction for Jared now. He knows the story. Someday you guys will, but just because of the legal proceedings it can’t be publicized and he can’t talk about it. But I think he’s comfortable with who he is, and what he needs to work on, and who he needs to apologize to, and what he needs to do to move forward."

Ainge added that Olynyk is pretty much over the back and plantar fasciitis issues that forced him to ease up on his training this summer, and could combine with Sullinger to make up the Boston frontcourt at times this season.

He said Faverani is also dealing with plantar fasciitis and is the team’s only "legit" center.

"He’s going to have to be more consistent," Ainge said of the Brazilian big man, "take better care of the ball than he has in the past and really engrain himself in our defensive system. Those will be the questions that we will see from him. But he’s 6-foot-11, 265 pounds and a guy with some skill."

Ainge, who also added Bradley welcomed a newborn son this morning, said he knows there are many questions facing his squad as camp begins next Tuesday in Newport, R.I. - and that he is welcoming them for a change.

"I wouldn’t say this is a team where you put it out there and it’s the perfect mix of players," he concluded. "I would like to see how they play together and see who sort of wins jobs, and how players fit mentally, emotionally and physically, and how they mesh.

"I am also very excited about the team. I just think there are so many questions to be answered and so many unknowns."

Scott Souza covers the Boston Celtics for the MetroWest Daily News and GateHouse Media. He can be reached at 781-398-8006 or ssouza@wickedlocal.com. Follow him on Twitter @scott_souza.